A Troubled And Distant Hope
by TweedleBugQueen
Summary: Hermione and Draco's love is unaccepted so they go into the forest and back in time, fifty years. They are landed in the time of Tom Riddle's youth. Here, it either makes or breaks them. Having an unexpected end. Rated T for safety. DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter One 'The Decision'

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A/N: Okay, so this is the same chapter as before except I edited it some. I also hadn't included a chapter title or my note. So basically, this story is AU (alternate universe) as most of my stories will end up being. The love interest starts out as Hermione and Draco but it ends as Hermione and someone very unexpected, (if you can't deal with it, get off the page.) I also would like to inform you that every few chapters I will ask for a certain ammount of reviews before I post anything else. So, if you favorite then you should tell me why, if you didn't why not? If you added it to your story alerts, tell me what was good, what was bad. I really need the constructive critisizm. But if I get any 'You suck, stop writing!' or harrassment of any kind. I will delete it, I may report it, and if worst comes to worst, I will discontinue the story and possibly delete it all together. So let's be nice, shall we?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter books, nor the movies. I am not JK Rowling and I am not making any money from my writing at the moment. If I submit this to anyone, it will be my english teacher for some grading and critisizm. Other than that, no. Please do not steal my storyline or I will become very very hurt, because I'm sensitive. And I will go to another fanfiction site to post it there.

Okay the, let's dance!

-Tweedlebugqueen

CHAPTER ONE

THE DECISION

"Maybe we shouldn't be together Hermione, no one will ever accept us." Draco said as he looked out the window, Hermione could see the pain in his eyes.

She was thoughtful for a moment, what could she do to help him see? She loved him, no matter how much the world hated her for it. "We'll be okay, we'll find a way." she hesitated, "We could go somewhere." she said softly, knowing he would hear it.

He turned to look at her and took hold of her hand, "I want to. . .where do you want to go?" he replied in the same hushed tone.

She replied instantly, "I want to go somewhere where no one can find us or tell us what to do or judge us." she looked into his stormy-gray eyes, "Almost into a whole other time frame."

She watched as he began to smile, his eyes lit up like the sun coming out from behind the clouds, "I have an idea."

That's what started it, that is what he said to her before she got into this whole mess. This is Hermione's story, the story that was never told. The story that was altered to what Harry wanted the world to see or know. No one ever found out about her story, or read about it, or had ever even heard it. No one knew it existed except for her and the people involved in it. But now Hermione realized it was time for her to break the silence and let her story be known to the world, to let them into her mind. This is Hermione's story.

It was a cloudy day when Hermione dug into her trunk of belongings she had brought with her to Hogwarts. She dug past clothes, books, potion ingredients, old journals, and past gifts from her friends and family, until she found what she was looking for in a secret compartment. She smiled as she lifted the gold chain from the velvet bag which held it. She took in all it's glory and laughed as she held the time-turner in her palm. Everything was going to be all right, everything would be okay again and now she and Draco could finally live in peace.

It was Draco himself who had suggested it to her. His exact words had been, "I have an idea. Hermione, what's your opinion on time travel?" and she had replied with a smile, and he had continued, "I think it's about time you got out your old time-turner." She smiled just at the thought of the memory.

As she stood up she placed the time turner around her neck, she hurriedly packed her things, she couldn't wait for her new life to start. No one understood her and Draco, no one ever would but there was a chance that they would fit in with the people who had never met them before, the people who had never set eyes upon them. People they had never even heard of.

She knew where they were going to be in the past though so that saved her packing a little, they would still be in Hogwarts. They would just be there a long time prior to now, she decided upon fifty years ago. So all she had to do was pack the things that weren't already in her trunk. As she finished packing a paper dove flew into her dormitory, _Meet me under the beech tree._ And when she turned to the window she saw a sleek blonde haired boy flying about forty feet away towards the lake. She smiled and charmed the trunk to shrink to the size of a beetle and she ran out to meet him.

She flew through the halls in a daze, she flew past faces and teachers she knew, but didn't see them. She ran through the corridors smiling and laughing as she went. She ran all the way down to the lake and when she got there she ran into Draco's waiting arms. And they fell into the lake laughing.

Hermione sat up in the shallow water, "That wasn't so smart, I guess." and she glanced over to lock her eyes onto Draco's laughing ones.

He laughed and pecked her cheek, "It was funny none of the less." he replied happily.

All of a sudden they heard an "Ehem?" from the edge of the bank and looked up.

They met the face of Professor McGonnagol and stood up. Minerva McGonnagol wasn't amused by the two's behavior. "Miss Granger, would you refrain from running and parading throughout the hallways laughing at the top of your lungs? It is a distraction and an annoyance to all who are trying to get a good education and actually learn here."

"Yes, Professor McGonnagol." Hermione answered embarassed, Draco snorted. And Professor McGonnagol left with a swift movement of her cloak.

The couple burst out laughing as they lay in the sun to dry off, but things had to get serious before the two could be happy again and they grew silent. Hermione turned to lay on her side and she faced Draco, "I'm ready." she said.

Draco looked at her sadly, "I wish we didn't have to do this I don't want you to give up everything you love for me." and he closed his eyes.

Hermione layed on her back and closed her eyes too, letting the sun lick her eyelids. "I'm not giving anything up other than unhappiness, and I could certainly do without that." she sighed.

"Seriously, I think we should think about this a little more before we make up our minds." he responded.

Hermione was determined as she set her jaw to answer, "We're going back to a time with Dumbledore in it, if we ever wanted to come back we could find a way."

"So you're ready? You're ready to leave this all behind you and fly away with me? To a completely other time?" he asked again.

"Yes."

"Then we'll leave tonight, barely any time will pass too, so when we come back it will be at this exact time."

He stood up and reached for her hand, she opened her eyes and took it. He told her to say goodbye to anything she might miss and that if she changed her mind that she needed to let him know, she agreed and headed up to the castle to find Harry and Ron.

Hermione found them in the common room doing their homework at the last minute, Ron looked at her and began begging, "Hermione, good, Hermione will you help me? Please? I can't get this right, I promise I'll repay you someday, I really do."

Hermione laughed at him and sighed, "No Ron, not tonight, I have to. . .go somewhere."

Harry looked up, "Where are you going?" he sounded concerned.

She looked at him and held back tears, maybe she shouldn't go, maybe it were best if she stayed here for her two best friends. Then she reminded herself why she was leaving, they were among the rudest of all the people when she was with Draco, she couldn't stay, she wanted to be with the man that she loved. So she came up with an excuse, "I'm just going to Hogsmeade, I got permission to go from Dumbledore."

Harry seemed content with this answer and he returned to his work, "Just be careful, wouldn't want you to get into trouble." he muttered.

"Do you think I could possibly go with you? I have some shopping I would like to do." Ron asked her.

"I have to make this trip alone, Ron." she explained very shortly.

Ron looked from his work to her again, "Whatever." he muttered rudely.

"What?" she asked him.

Ron glared at her menacingly, "You're going with Malfoy, I can tell." he snarled.

Hermione suddenly felt a blow hit her hard in the stomach, Ron was the worst one of the people who hated her and Draco's relationship. He was always so depressed and hurt by her decision to be with Malfoy, he had offered to be with her as well but she had declined and had taken Malfoy's offer instead. Ron would never forgive her for that decision, and she knew it as well as anyone else.

Hermione felt tears sting her eyes and ran from the common room feeling rejected, she knew this was the last time she ever even have a chance to see him, why did he have to spoil it by being cold-hearted?

As she ran down the hall she caught sight of Draco walking down the empty hallway to meet her, he was happily walking until he saw her crying and then he ran to her. He held her and brushed the hair away from her face softly, kissed her forehead and he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Let's get out of here, we don't have to wait. We can go right now if you want."

Hermione breathed deeply in and out a few times before she looked up into his eyes, it comforted her knowing he loved her so much. "Let's go." she whispered, and they ran down the halls together with their shrunken trunks in their pockets.

They ran through the halls, down the stairs, and out the door. They ran across the grounds and past Hagrid's hut, through the pumpkin patch and into the forest edge. Hermione pulled the time-turner from her neck and stretched it for Draco to put his head through. He did it effortlessly and took her hand. She set the turner for fifty years prior and before she turned the knob Draco handed her a jacket, knowing that the weather would be unpredictable. She smiled at him and turned the knob back five times and they were off.

The feeling of time travel wasn't a pleasant one, it consisted of having your insides feel as if they were twisting and yanking on each other. It was more of a pressure on them then an actual pain, there wasn't much pain involved. But as you were spinning back decades in time your head began to spin as well, headaches were common when you were going farther back then a few hours in time. Not that Hermione had ever tried it herself, when had she ever needed to go back farther than an hour? With the exception of her third year in which she went back four hours to save Buckbeak the Hippogriff and Sirius Black the alleged mass murderer who was unquestionably innocent.

No, time travel wasn't pleasant.

It seemed like the trip was stretching out over millions and millions of years, maybe it was just her nerves that made her feel that way, Hermione did not know. But in reality the travel time could only have lasted a mere matter of minutes. It was strange how it took so little to go back in time but it took so long to go back from where you came, years and years of it. In fifty years they would be around the same age as Minerva McGonnagol, the teacher who had only just a few hours ago scolded them for wading in the lake. Or they would surpass her in age, it had been Minerva McGonnagol's duty as a woman never to speak of how old she truly was. When Hermione was in her first year she could've sworn the woman was over two hundred years old.

And the trip ended as abruptly as it had begun, the couple were thrown to the forbidden forest floor in a heap. Hermione whimpered as she felt her head hit a considerably large stone in the process of her fall.

Hermione layed in the dirt for a minute trying hard not to throw up, if she had only known how hard the fall would have been maybe she would have tied a pillow to her head or something, but she was in no such luck in that category. A few seconds went by and the nausea passed and she heard Draco sit up.

She opened her eyes and met the happy face of Draco Malfoy to greet her, "Hey hun, looks like we're fifty years in the past. I mean, look at the forest, we aren't at the edge of it anymore."

And when Hermione looked around she saw that Draco was right, the forest was definitely thicker than it had been at home. It seemed like the forest had been chopped away in between the course of fifty years. "Well I suppose fifty Christmases will do that." she laughed.

He looked at her for a moment and then busted out laughing, "Who knew Hermione Granger had a sense of humor?" he chortled.

She looked at him with an innocent smile on her face, "Well, there are some things you only find out about in time, and to tell you the truth, you haven't been my best friend through all my Hogwarts experience." and then she cackled, teasing him like this was fun.

"Now you're going to get it! You had better run!" he yelled as he chased her a good thirty yards to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

She ran from him at full speed for about ten minutes before she got to the very edge of the forest. Then she suddenly stopped, she had just realized something.

How were they going to be able to transfer to Hogwarts if they had no previous school records?

Draco stopped next to her, "Hey, looks like Hagrid's hut isn't there yet!" he exclaimed, though he had never liked Hagrid it was a pretty obvious thing to notice.

Hermione looked at him with a horror-struck expression, "How are we going to enroll into Hogwarts?"

He smirked at her, "The great Hermione Granger, brightest witch of our time, forgot to get legal proof of the magical study in our past? Forgot to procure legal enrollment documents into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" and he pulled out a fat envelope from under his school robes.

She stared at the envelope in shock, how could he have remembered to do this most important thing and she had not? This was unbelievable.

She kissed his cheek, "You're a life saver." she exclaimed.

"I know," he said matter-of-factly, "And there is a forged letter from our present-day McGonagoll explaining that we are time-travelers on a very important top-secret mission to save our future world, of course the idea is mine. And I charmed a quill of McGonagoll's to write it so it got every letter, comma, period, and perenthesis in her correct hand."

Once again, Hermione was shocked to the point she nearly passed out. He had really thought this out before they had left, she would have thought about this more if she hadn't spontaniously told him they needed to leave. She should have thought this out a bit more carefully. But at least he had done it for her, and there was no use in dwelling on how she had messed up. It was done, that was the fact of it and it was time to trudge up the grounds of Hogwarts and enter their new lives together.


	2. Chapter Two 'Introductions'

**A SMALL NOTE: Okay guys, I'm sorry to burst your bubble but I warned you, if I don't get at least ten reviews by the end of the third chapter then I won't continue until I do. This chapter introduces you to some of the most vital characters in the story. You met Ron and Harry in the last one, so that's out of the way. And there's a mystery character at the end of the chapter. Any guesses? It may shock you! So leave some reviews about your guesses and what you think will happen next chapter! Okay then, disclaimers were in the introduction. So I'd say it's time to get this show on the road!**

**~ Tweedlebugqeen**

**CHAPTER TWO:**

**INTRODUCTIONS**

Hermione and Draco had been sitting in the headmaster's office for a while, Armando Dippet had insisted that he had very important business matters to attend to and had left. He had also insisted that he would only be around fifteen minutes and then he would be back to review the two's future academic goals with them, it had been over an hour. Hermione was reminded of Ron back home, always lying and never on time. Hermione scolded herself for thinking of Ron this way, her liking to him had been tainted by his display of emotional outburst a few hours ago. Ron wasn't always so rude, there were times when he could be reasonable too.

Hermione pulled herself out of her thoughts to observe the headmaster's office, it wasn't the same as Dumbledore's in many ways. Obviously it was still located in the same circular room and the desk itself was on an elevated platform. The stone gargoyle was still the only entrance into the area, and there was still the same stone spiral staircase at the far edge of the elevated space that lead up to the headmaster's sleeping, bathing, and changing quarters. And as Hermione looked around she noticed a big factor in why it seemed so different to her now than it had before, most of the odds and ends on the shelves weren't there. The office was more orderly, the shelves were lined with books, potions, globes, and maps, as opposed to random objects that no one ever knew the purpose for except for Dumbledore himself.

In an old habit Hermione began to drum her fingers on the arm of her chair, wondering when in the world Dippet would come back. She continued to drum her fingers when a hand clamped onto her own, forcing her to stop. "Are you that nervous?" Draco asked her suspiciously.

She smiled weakly at him, "Old habit." she sighed.

He laughed lightly at her comment when the headmaster returned. Armando Dippet was quite old, Hermione could swear she thought he looked four-hundred and twelve years old but she knew that he wasn't even close to being that old.

The headmaster hastened to his desk in a sweep of his cloak, not quite in a Snape-like fashion. He sat at his oversized desk and straightened his papers, tapping them on all sides and Hermione wondered if he were doing it just to personally annoy her. After finishing with his papers he pulled out a phoenix-feather quill and smoothed the creases in their letters and school records. "Now then, I don't want to waste time with these letters, it is apparent that you are time-travelers. Let's get on with what classes you would prefer, so?" he diliberately lifted his eyebrows and carefully appraised the pair in front of him.

Draco was the first to speak, "Well, I was very good in potions so I was thinking that I could do some advanced work in that class as well as in Defense Against the Dark Arts. The basic classes for now, Herbology with Professor Sp - Herbolgy." he anxiously glanced at Hermione who encouraged him, Dippet hadn't noticed his mistake, "And there's always Astronomy, Divination, Ancient Ruins, I was never comfortable with Care of Magical Creatures though, I'm afraid." he finished with a wink at Hermione, who didn't find it amusing in the slightest.

Dippet lifted a schedule and tapped it with his wand, handing it over to Draco who took it and thanked him. He then turned to Hermione and looked her records over, "Acording to your records, you are a very capable witch Miss Granger. It shows that in your third year you acquired a time-turner in order for you to take on more classes than what is necessary for a school day? Very impressive indeed. But it is up to you in which classes you take, so what are you leaning towards in your upcoming class schedule?" he held the new blank schedule in his right hand, his wand in the other awaiting her answer.

_How odd, he's left handed._ Hermione thought to herself, though she knew it wasn't extraordinary. She lifted her head and looked him squarely in the eye, "Is there any way possible way that I could take the same classes as Draco, we discussed this before arriving. The only class, however, that I would like to switch is Divination to a Care of Magical Creatures class." she kept looking at Dippet, not knowing what Draco would think of her last-minute class change, they hadn't discussed this.

The headmaster looked her in the eye, "Miss Granger, reviewing your record I should say that you certainly earned the schedule you have requested. But, it all depends on what house you are sorted into. Now, you could continue in the house of your past, our future I should say. Or, you may be re-sorted into another house besides that of your past experience."

"I'm staying in Slytherin." Draco immediately answered, though the question had not been administered to him personally.

The headmaster acknowledged Draco's answer with a nod but continued to wait for Hermione's. Hermione was looking down at the hand in her lap, for the other was entwined in Draco's, who squeezed it gently. She looked at him and saw that he just wanted to have classes with her, if they weren't in the same house or common room everyday it would be fine with him.

She looked at the headmaster with a determined look, "I . . . would like to be . . . " she paused thinking deeply, then she came to a conclusion, "re-sorted."

"Very well." and he straightened his sitting position steadily as he pointed his wand towards a ripped and patched old peice of fabric, "Accio Sorting Hat." he stated as it flew into his awaiting hands.

He stood up and walked around the desk towards Hermione's chair slowly, but surely. Hermione hurried as she tried to think of something that would automatically get her into Slytherin with Draco. Harry had told her something once, something that had _prevented_ him from getting into Slytherin. He had repeatedly chanted, "Not Slytherin." she whispered aloud.

Draco shot her a hurt glare, he had apparently heard her and had taken it the wrong way. But who wouldn't? And all the while Dippet was still heading towards her, though he was slow the time seemed to be going in fast-forward for Hermione. You couldn't stop the hands of time, you could re-do them but you couldn't slow them down.

And all too quickly Hermione felt a light tap on her head as the hat fell into place. She was surprised to find that the hat didn't cover half of her eyes, it fit perfectly compared to her first-year experience with this thing. But she realized that the hat wouldn't remember her mind, this was the past. She had a whole future ahead of her.

And it began the speech only Hermione could hear in her head, "Well, well, Hermione Granger. Nice to be in your mind, just to let you know. Very smart, to be one of the smartest of her time. You have a lot of potential, not all of it is hidden but a great deal is left to be discovered in due course. You are a very nice, creative witch I can tell. You would do well in any of the houses . . . "

Hermione was getting nervous that the old, beaten hat would put her into a house soon so she thought as hardly, distinctly, and as clearly as she could, _Please, Sorting Hat. Listen to me for a moment._

The thought took the hat by surprise, "Are you directly addressing me, Miss Granger?" but Hermione wasn't worried because she knew no one could hear their silent conversation, the only time the Sorting Hat ever spoke aloud was when he yelled his conclusions and, according to the future Dumbledore, when he was sorting Harry Potter.

_Yes, and I know that we are not to alter your decision but I was wondering. . ._ she thought.

"Yes?" the hat replied.

_Is there any way that you could place me in Slytherin? Not Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff? _she had a hard time even thinking the thought, she didn't know whether you were supposed to address the Sorting Hat or not when you were being evaluated.

The Sorting Hat made the mistake of thinking aloud and it caught Hermione by surprise, "Slytherin?" it asked her.

And then the hat was lifted off of her head by the headmaster. At first she was confused, but then when she realized what had happened a smug expression replaced the confused one painted on her face. She, Hermione Granger, had tricked the Sorting Hat. That was an exceptionately hard thing to do was another thing she realized, the hat could read all your thoughts. If you were to trick it, the only way would most likely be to not know you were doing it. If Harry had been here he would have been astonished, but she pushed that thought to the back of her mind and turned to face Draco, smiling. He was not.

"Very well, you know where the common room is then I am assuming Mr. Malfoy?" Dippet asked him directly this time.

Draco replied the obvious answer of yes and Dippet continued, "Your current surnames will not do for this time period. Draco's because he has relatives here, and Hermione's because there are future teachers here who will know you in the future, which applies to Draco as well. Are there any names that you would like to take on?" he asked them.

"Newton." Draco answered.

Dippet's eyebrows shot up yet again, "After the great Isaac Newton?" he asked surprised.

"Of course, you read my mind." the young boy drawled.

The headmaster turned to Hermione who replied, "Maryweather."

"Also a historical name, but not of this country as you should know, but of America's. Maryweather Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition? Is there a reason you chose this name?" he asked.

Hermione looked at him, "I did not know it was historical, Professor. I just said the first thing that came to mind, though I have heard of that expedition in a history class in my muggle home school. Perhaps the name Howe would be more suitable."

"Very well, since Mr. Newton knows where the commons are I entrust the chore of taking you to them upon him." and he waved them off, returning to the many scrolls of parchment on his desk.

"Follow me." Draco ordered as he stalked out of the office. And though he hadn't said it rudely, Hermione knew he was upset with her.

She followed him out the door and down the stone gargoyle's staircase before speaking. "Draco?" she asked, he kept walking without acknowledging her.

She waited a few more minutes, "You don't understand, I was answering an internal question aloud. I wasn't telling you that I did _not_ want to be placed in Slytherin, in fact I tricked the Sorting Hat unintentionally to place me there." but he still did not answer.

This annoyed her, and she grabbed the hood of his cloak and pulled him backward angrily. "What the - " and he cut her off with a chaste kiss on the lips.

He looked at her sternly, "I understand." he said, and her heart fluttered.

They heard the swish of a cloak and footsteps on the stone floor of the hallway behind them. A voice came from behind them, "Please refrain from showing public displays of affection in the halls, this is a school not Hogsmeade."

Hermione paused for a moment, then she turned and saw the face behind the voice. She looked at his curly black hair, his dominant features, the Slytherin crest on his robes, the color of his eyes, and fainted.


	3. Chapter Three 'Unpleasant Surprises'

**A/N: Okay, so I hope you all guessed right! It's really not that hard, but don't be offended if you didn't. So in this chapter things really aren't as bad as they seem. You may be surprised of how this story ends, for there are many hints in the first couple of chapters. I do have to warn you that it may not be what you want. But on a lighter note, the ending won't happen for a while! So let's get reading! Disclaimers were at the head of the first chapter so there you go.**

**~ Tweedlebugqueen**

**Chapter Three:**

**Unpleasant Surprises**

Hermione woke within a matter of seconds, Draco had caught her and the boy who had spoken was standing over them. She looked up at him and felt a pang of anger, she knew who this was. He was evil, the very first thoughts that came to her mind when she heard his name were Lucifer, Satan, Devil, the very thing that had threatened millions of lives and more. How could this have happened to them? To her and Draco? They had traveled back in time to get away from not being accepted and had fallen into the deepest pit of hell imaginable to her. And she could only think of one person, one name, one face. She had never met the boy but she recognized him from the pictures.

Tom Riddle.

"Are you all right? You fainted so suddenly, you are very lucky I was a seeker or I wouldn't have been fast enough to catch you." Draco joked, but she wasn't laughing, she wouldn't ever laugh again. She would always be terrified here.

But she decided to put on a show for Draco, he was the reason she would be strong. So she hid the fear in her voice, "I-I'm ok-kay. I j-just. . .I d-d-don't know." she stuttered, but Draco wouldn't think it was in fear. He would think that it was just her waking up.

She averted her eyes from Riddle's direction when Draco proceeded to lift her up effortlessly, she didn't want to see the deep crimson she was expecting to. "Does she do this often?" Hermione could hear him ask Draco.

She was surprised that she actually was infuriated, she jerked her head up. "_I_ do NOT do this often, _I _can answer for myself, and _I _have a name." she spat at him with gritted teeth.

A flash of confusion and surprise crossed his face but was replaced with a relaxed and composed one a moment later, "Then what is it?"

She was still fuming, if lightning bolts shot from her fingers and steam came out of her ears she would not have been surprised, "What is what?" she asked rigidly.

He leaned in closer to her and grinned, obviously testing her anger, "Your name."

Hermione was surprised, why would the future dark lord care enough to ask her about her name? Wouldn't he just get pissed and walk away? But she answered him none of the less, "Hermione Howe." she whispered.

Tom turned to Draco, "And yours?" he asked curiously.

"Draco Newton, and yes I know it sounds a little weird but that's what my mother wrote on my birth certificate." he drawled uninterested.

Riddle extended his hand to Draco and introduced himself, "I'm Tom Riddle." he said curteously.

Draco didn't respond, though Hermione knew that he now understood who this was. Instead, he extended _his_ hand and shook Riddle's, "It's a pleasure, we're transfer students. Would you mind showing us to the Slytherin common room?" he asked calmly.

Tom answered immediately, "That's the house you've been sorted to I presume?" and he lifted an eyebrow at Hermione, he obviously didn't believe _she _was Slytherin material.

"Yes." she replied shortly.

"Follow me." he ordered as he walked down the dark hallway.

Draco took her hand and gave her a knowing look as they proceeded down the hall together.

They walked through five hallways and down three sets of stairs to get to the dungeons, no one else was in the hallways except for them. Hermione walked silently, watching Riddle's back suspiciously. _Perhaps he's taking us to his turture chamber, maybe he's going to kill us slowly and painfully. _She flinched violently away from that thought and shuddered, Draco squeezed her hand reassuringly. Hermione decided to count the torches mentally as they passed them. _One, two, three._ She began to think that they would never get down this long and endless hallway to the comfort of the awaiting beds in their dormitories.

Tom turned around then. _This is the end, we're going to die._ Hermione thought to herself, but then a more sensible voice told her, _Shut up, you're just paranoid._

"The password is _mission_, I don't know why, but that's what it is so don't ask any questions. The boy's dormitories are on the right, girl's on your left. Don't forget that Hermione, girl's are on the _left_ not the right." he explained.

She felt insulted, was he calling her stupid? Who did he think he was? "I understand, why do you have to single me out? I'm more capable of understanding than you think I am." she shot at him.

He lifted an eyebrow at her, was that common here? Did everybody do that? "I only addressed that statement to you because you have access to both the dormitories, if Draco here wanted to go into the girl's dormitories the stairs would smooth out and he would slide back into the common room. I'm not being sexist, I'm not calling you stupid, I'm _telling_ you what I was told to tell all the little boys and girls who have come here since my fifth year. It isn't a big deal, please refrain from making it so."

She stared open mouthed at him, he was a cocky little bugger. But she had been rude so she guessed she deserved it. "Now if you will excuse me I have an appointment with headmaster Dippet." and he turned on his heel and stalked down the hallway.

"You might not get that meeting taken care of, Dippet seems a little absorbed in himself tonight!" Draco yelled after him, Riddle just waved his hand as if he were brushing off the statement.

Hermione watched him go, she muttered something rude and unintelligent under her breath, Draco laughed. "Don't get so mad 'Mione he won't hurt us, he might be bad news but we're Slytherins so he won't mess with us."

Hermione still glared at Riddle as he rounded the corner, "_He_ doesn't think I'm Slytherin material, apparently." she said through gritted teeth.

Draco laughed, "He's stupid then, _I've_ seen you when you're mad. I've even been punched by you before, you are _definitely_ Slytherin material."

Hermione smirked, but still glared after Riddle as Draco muttered the password.

"You too miffed to sleep?" he asked her.

She turned around and he embraced her, "Don't worry hun, everything's going to be just fine." he assured her.

And Hermione just couldn't find it in herself to doubt him.

''..~~**~~*~~**~~..''

Hermione woke with a start, "It was just a dream." she muttered to herself.

Of course she had dreamt of Tom Riddle, the one from in her day, that night. She saw the snakelike face, the hairless head, the flattened nose, and red eyes. She saw him murder Harry in the last battle, she saw the entire Weasley family tortured to death for conspiracy against The Ruler of All Power. She had been completely and utterly terrified by the very thought of anything like that happening to either of her friends.

"I'm sorry, but are you new here or something?" a prim and proper girl asked her. Suddenly the word 'snipe' came to mind. Hermione didn't even know this girl, but because of her preconcieved notions of Slytherins, she just couldn't help herself.

"Oh...um...yes." she sputtered.

"Do you have trouble waking up?" a snobby voice from across the room asked rudely.

Hermione sat up and looked around.

The sixth year who had woken her up looked nice enough. Her face was heart shaped, and wide dark blue eyes. This girl had such deep blue eyes that they looked like they had no end. She was brunette with curls cascading down her back. She had a lean frame and a pale, clear complexion. She didn't even appear to have any moles, anywhere.

The girl who had rudely spoken had an oval shaped face, a pointed nose, squared lips, and almond shaped eyes. She had long, wavy, yet frizzy, black hair and emerald eyes. This girl was not the most beautiful thing Hermione had ever seen, so she didn't feel threatened or inferior to her.

"Oh yes, it's a diagnosed defect I have. I have recurring dreams and I tend to awake disoriented or strangely dizzy. Sometimes I even see things, things that aren't really there. Those types of things are called illusions." she said sarcastically, but it was so subtle she doubted that any one of these women would find any drip of rudeness in her voice.

The girl looked taken aback, "Oh, I'm sorry. I hadn't known, I'm Jemima by the way."

Hermione smiled smugly, "Hermione Howe, and no that isn't a question, it's my name."

The girl who had woken her smiled, "I'm Clarissa."

Hermione looked around, it seemed that the Slytherin dungeons were much more stingy and vast than that of the Gryffindor tower. But, it made up for lack of fresh air with the luxury of the room. But, that could have just been from the time period. The room had stone walls with magnificent paintings of various landscapes. She also noticed a great serpent was set into every one of the gold picture frames holding the paintings. Every fabric in the room was warm velvet and the mattress was so comfortable, she could have melted into it. Of course, knowing how dark Salazar Slytherin lived, all the woods in the room were stained dark.

"What time is it?" she asked to no one in particular, though she knew someone would answer her.

"Well, it's five in the morning, but we usually get up early to do homework. At least me and Jemima do, we're too lazy to do it when we're supposed to." Clarissa smiled sheepishly.

"I'm the exact opposite, I could help you if you like." she smiled back.

Jemima scowled, obviously she thought Hermione was challenging her intelligence. But Clarissa's face broke out in a grin, she looked like she wanted to test how smart Miss Howe was.

She sat down on her own bed, "That would be lovely." she replied.

Hermione and the two girls finished quickly with their homework and soon they were comparing schedules.

"We have all except one class together." Jemima noted.

_Oh, joy._ Hermione thought to herself, though the girl started to be a little nicer to her.

"I only have Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, and Potions with you." Clarissa sighed, she sounded a little disappointed, to Hermione's surprise.

Hermione tucked her schedule into the front flap of her schoolbag, collected via Draco, and set it on the floor. "Classes don't start until eight thirty." she sighed, "We have quite a bit of time on our hands." she knew this because she had been mentally keeping track in her head how many minutes there were until she could see Draco again.

"Breakfast is at seven thirty though, and we are supposed to be there on the dot. Punctuality is a big issue for young men and young ladies, it should be greatly upheld." Clarissa stated matter-of-factly.

After Hermione had successfully suppressed the laugh that was struggling very hard not to erupt from her she decided that she was going to go back to sleep for the hour and a half she had remaining to her before she had to wake up and get ready. _I mean, it's five thirty in the bloody morning!_ she thought to herself.

When she woke up Hermione got dressed, did her hair (which had become majorly more tameable than that of her first through third years), and her makeup. Yes, Hermione was still a girl, therefore, she had discovered the wonders makeup could do for your complection. She decided that it was time to go down to the common room, or just time to see Draco that is.

''..~~**~~*~~**~~..''

Draco and Hermione were on their way down to the Great Hall to have some breakfast, they knew it would be good because HELLO? this was still Hogwarts, even if it were fifty years in the past, and the hallways were still crowded. She sucked in a deep breath when she saw Dumbledore, or what she thought was Dumbledore a few yards ahead of them. _That_, was _Dumbledore?_ She couldn't believe it. Of course he looked odd, she knew that he would. But seriously?

He was dressed clad in a maroon cloak with yellow stars on it, which would have been normal if not for his green suit robes with purple polka dots adorned with it. He topped off the look with a silver and pink striped hat, definitely Dumbledore. Looking at the hilariousity gave her a migraine, she had to pull her eyebrows together and really concentrate on what she was viewing before she cracked up laughing.

Draco followed her gaze until he spotted the brunette Dumbledore, at first all he noticed was the good man that he was. He only saw the normalness of it, half crescent spectacles, twinkling blue eyes, his hair was much shorter at his shoulders and it slowly faded into his relatively shorter beard. But then, when he realized just what the man was wearing, he couldn't stop laughing for what seemed to be around ten minutes. If nothing, Dumbledore would amuse them and make this situation that much easier.


	4. Chapter Four 'Potions with a Dark Lord'

**A/N: Okay, I know it takes me quite a bit of time to post things, but I take my time so you guys can be provided with a good story to entertain you. Not much happens in this story, a paragraph in Tom's POV and a Potions class with the infamous Horace Slughorn! Should be interesting to read for you.**

**Disclaimers were in the first chapter so go look them up there.**

**Let's Boogey Down! haha**

**-Tweedlebugqueen**

**Chapter Four:**

**Potions With A Dark Lord**

"So what do we have first?" Draco asked.

Hermione bent down to retrieve her time table, "I don't know. Hmm..." she scanned the list for Monday, "Potions with Professor Slughorn." she concluded.

He laughed, "I wonder if that man's as mad as he is in our day."

She chuckled, "I dunno." she replied.

Just then a teacher came up behind them, "Did I hear my name?" asked the plump, fat, oily haired Professor Slughorn.

Hermione and Draco looked at each other in surprise, "How much did you hear?" Draco asked him.

Slughorn looked confused, "Nothing, I just have a very keen sense of when someone utters my name. Are you two new students here?" he was rocking on the balls of his feet with his hands behind his back, much as he used to do when in their sixth year.

Hermione took a moment to find her thoughts again, she was a little miffed by this particular appearance, and so suddenly too. "Uh, yes. We've transferred from home, our parents got together and had some tutors paid to stay at our homes to teach us. Isn't that right, Draco?" she looked his way.

"Of course, Hermione. Of course, but don't you have to sit with the teachers Professor? Dippett may get upset." he replied.

Horace Slughorn's face erupted into a wide grin, "So you've been home schooled have you? Interesting indeed, most young witches and wizards would absolutely despise that actually." he ignored Draco's comment entirely.

"Well, actually - " Hermione started.

The potions professor cut her off, "Are you two very advanced?"

Draco looked at Hermione, "We are advanced in Defense Against the Dark Arts, but no other class than that really."

Slughorn looked a little depressed at this information, "Oh, that's too bad. Do you have a knack for potions?" he pressed.

"I suppose - " Hermione began again, only to be cut off yet a second time.

"That's wonderful, you'll have me as a teacher. I am also the Head of Slytherin House, so I suppose that we'll be seeing a lot of each other. Do you think you could join my circle? Well it's a club really, and we have filled our quota of gentleman, sorry .... what was your name again lad?"

"Draco Newton."

"Oh, yes. I'm very sorry lad but we are full of young men, we need a few more young ladies though, would you be interested Miss?" he stopped again, awaiting a reply.

Hermione looked up at him, then Draco, then up again, "It's Hermione Howe, sir."

He recollected his thoughts, "Oh yes, well then, would you be interested Miss Howe? It would be a very good way to meet new students here, from all the houses!" he grinned excitedly.

"I don't know really, I'll have to think about it. Talk it over with Draco here - " she trailed off.

"Of course, of course. Well, since you have me next do you think you could give me an answer after breakfast? I could explain it a bit more and seat you next to other students in the club if you like, hmm?"

Draco looked at Hermione in an encouraging look, it seemed like he didn't care either way she responded. Hermione tore her face away from his and looked up, "I suppose I could do that." she smiled warmly.

His face lit up, "Fantastic! I'll see you in my next class then, I presume?" he asked.

"Do I seem the type to skip a class?" she asked him innocently.

He threw back his head and laughed heartily, "No I should guess not! Farewell, Miss Howe and Mr Nobleberry." he turned to walk away.

"It's Newton." Draco muttered, not really caring whether he heard him or not.

Hermione laughed.

"What?" Draco responded, looking a bit confused.

Hermione shook her head, "He's still a complete dope."

A girl sitting next to Hermione had the paper and started to crinkle it up, "Do you think that I could possibly read that?" Hermione asked her.

The girl stopped and looked at her, "Sure." she said as she tossed it to her.

"Thanks." Hermione muttered.

She heard Draco 'ehem', "What?" she asked as she looked up.

Tom Riddle was staring at her in the face, so she hadn't heard Draco, she had heard Riddle instead. "Oh," she muttered, "it's you."

Tom chuckled, "Like I said, the name's Tom, Tom Riddle." he said it in a Bond, James Bond, manner.

"Yeah, that much I can remember." she replied curtly, not looking up.

He let out a breath, "Slughorn came up to me and asked me if I would happen to show you around the school. He let me know that we have the next class together, so he arranged the seating so we'd be next to each other. My partner will now be with Newton."

Hermione looked behind Tom to see Draco looking at her, he did not look very happy with Slughorn. He, undoubtedly, was now his least favorite teacher.

She looked back at Tom, "I suppose you'll be _fantastic_ at potions." she replied with mock-enthusiasm.

"Somewhat." he replied with a warm smile, if he could even achieve a warm smile.

She rolled her eyes, "Looking forward to it." she almost gagged.

He straightened his robes, "Well, it appears that we'll be seeing each other."

She flattened her paper, and didn't look up, "Apparently." she responded.

She heard him walk away, she imagined it as if he were full of himself, but didn't look up to check if he did or not.

"Interesting." Draco muttered.

Hermione looked up, not understanding, "What is?" she asked.

He looked at her questioningly, "You weren't rude to him."

"That's because we have to _try_ to fit in here, we can't just automatically hate him even if he is vile. We have to act indifferent." she whispered, but she didn't expect the Slytherins to listen in, they were too good to listen to anyone else's conversations.

"Oh, right." he laughed, it seemed as though he had really forgotten.

"But we can still secretly hate him with a deep passion in our hearts." she whispered, then she tossed her head back and laughed heartily.

"You're going to make a great Slytherin." he replied with a vast smile.

" . . X x x X . . "

Tom could see Hermione and Newton walk to the potions room hands entwined, laughing at some secret joke. And suddenly, he wanted to know what it was.

No doubt he had never seen a sight like that of Miss Howe before, she had some sort of fire and wit about her, and though he had only spoken to her twice, it drew him in. He decided he was going to take a fair ammount of time to get to know her, because he liked cracking codes, and she was very difficult to read for him. The way she had spoken to him last night had most definitely invited him in, it seemed as though she hated him, though he had no idea why. Maybe she was just annoyed at how he seemed to have authority and she, had not.

Of course she was attractive, he heard all the boys in their year talking about her. "Oh boy, is she just the most mouthwatering thing you've seen in all your years at Hogwarts?" Malfoy asked Tom when he saw him looking at her from their shadows.

Tom looked at him out of the corner of his eye and tried to sound uninterested, of course it worked, "I guess, but there are plenty of attractive ladies in our year."

Malfoy looked at him as if he were insane and turned back to talk to Macnair about her. And Tom took the alone time to appraise her more carefully. Hermione Howe was beautiful in all the right ways, her hair was golden and curled in wonderous ringlets all around her heart shaped face, her deep chocolate almond shaped eyes seemed to see the world in ways that he never imagined a girl to look. Most girls were simple, all they thought about were boys, nails, and shopping. But the way this particular girl held herself seemed, in a way, headstrong.

No doubt she had curves, and the way that she held onto Newton suddenly made Tom want that for himself, and he would get it. He wanted it, therefore, soon it would become his. He smirked as he thought of the many ways that he could lure her into his grasp. Mainly he thought of ways to become the most powerful dark wizard of his time, but he decided to put that aside for the time being and focus on this new addition to the student body. She indeed, as Malfoy had put it, was mouthwateringly mysterious.

" . . X x x X . . "

Hermione saw Tom looking at her and smirking out of the corner of her eye and clung closer to Draco, who was in a discussion with another boy who was in Hufflepuff. He looked at her and smiled, she rested her head on his shoulder. How he could make her suddenly calm she had no idea, but it sure did come to great use when she was frightened.

The two's discussion came to a close and Draco seated Hermione next to him on a bench against the wall, making sure her view of Riddle was blocked. "It's all going to be fine, 'mione, you'll see." he comforted her.

She looked up at him, "Just smile, wave, and ignore everyone but you." she said weakly.

He laughed, "Exactly."

She pulled his face close to hers, "Forever."

Draco couldn't help but close the distance between them, taking advantage of the closeness. Most of the kids had already gone into Slughorn's classroom, but they had a few more minutes to themselves.

While Hermione's eyes were closed Draco scanned the hallway for anyone else, there seemed to be no one so he started to kiss her with more force. It was the first exchange that they were able to have in the past twenty-four hours and he had been going insane.

Hermione didn't even care if Tom was in the hallway as Draco kissed her, she couldn't even think. The way that Draco made her feel mystified her sometimes, she used to shudder when Ginny would tease her.

"_Oh, come off it! You know you like it when he teases you, you want to snog him on the spot! You wish his tongue would go into your mouth an-_"

Hermione would slap Ginny's arm playfully and scold her that she couldn't be more wrong about that particular situation and at the time, Ginny had been. She had been completely wrong about Hermione's intentions, because all she had wanted to do was to strangle him sometimes. Once when Malfoy made her cry she could remember Harry and Ron get into a full blown fight in the courtyard, they had both gotten detention for it, but it was a nice thought still the same. But now, what Ginny had said was true, and Hermione would have laughed if her mouth hadn't been preoccupied.

She heard an irritated breath, "Haven't I told you? Public displays of affection are prohibited! Please refrain from them."

Draco pulled away, and Hermione was disappointed. "Come off it, you know you would snog your girlfriend any chance you got if you had one." he challenged, annoyed.

"I suppose I would, but I haven't one do I?" he asked with an uplifted brow.

"No, I should say not." Hermione answered for Draco.

Professor Slughorn came out into the hallway then, "Is there a problem?" he barked at Tom with annoyance dripping from every syllable of his tone.

"No professor, we were just having a discussion." Hermione answered as she got to her feet, "Right Draco?" she asked.

"Of course." he replied, taking his arm and wrapping it protectively around her waist, pulling her to him as Riddle glared at his hand.

Tom collected his bags and strode into the potions classroom, pausing only briefly to give the Professor an assignment, "Something I did over the holidays." he grumbled before he was completely lost from view inside the classroom.

Slughorn's voice went up an octave higher, "So Miss Howe, we have a Slug Club meeting tonight? Are you interested or are you not completely settled into your dormitory." This explained why he was speaking louder, he wanted to make sure the entire classroom heard him. _Nice,_ she thought to herself.

"I may take the night off," the professor frowned at her, "but, I suppose I could try." she finished, his face lit up.

"Excellent." he replied, "Well, go have a seat next to young Mr. Riddle over there. Mr. Nobleberry, over by Miss Evergreen, she's the Hufflepuff with braces. That's a lad!" he finished as the couple entered the classroom.

"It's Newton, sir." Draco paused to tell him.

Slughorn smiled broadly, "That's what I said isn't it?" I rolled my eyes and Draco went to sit beside the girl named Evergreen, who was a Hufflepuff, and had braces, according to Slughorn.

Hermione looked around and found that, unfortunately, Riddle was sitting in the very back at the last table. After a second look, her heart fell as she realized that Draco would be in the second row, far away from her and the stupid little demon. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and started towards Riddle, frowning to herself while trying to guess how this would go.

The walk to the end of the room seemed long, much longer than it was in reality. Time was playing mind tricks on her and seemed to have decided that it was going to go in slow motion.

Hermione looked around as she walked, the room was neat and orderly, just as she liked it. There wasn't anything unidentified on the shelves, for there were labels underneath each and every item. In the very back on the highest shelf, with a protective forcefield around it. the label that was under _this_ item read _**Felix Felicis**_, _oh good grief!_ Hermione thought to herself. _This man is obsessed_.

She reached the back table and stopped. After a few seconds she decided it was best to do something so she set her bag down and walked around the corner to the seat facing the aisle. _Figures he would want to be as secluded as possible._ she thought to herself tiredly.

She felt a stare penetrating her back, but did not turn around to face him.

"Hello." she heard a rich, seemingly pleasant voice address her.

She ignored it, _Do __**not**__ make friends with him!_ She told herself mentally.

He chuckled low and softly, "Come now, is there any reason to be hostile?"

"No." she replied, still not looking even remotely towards him.

Slughorn was gabbing on and on about the importance of Boomslang and The Eye of Newt, which would surely matter to them in the future, in his opinion. She had already learned this, and was guessing Riddle had too, because he wouldn't leave her alone.

"Hermione Howe, interesting name." he continued, "Not something you would hear everyday now would you?"

She rolled her eyes, "Not as interesting as a _Riddle_ may be hmm?" she retorted.

"Such hostility! Tell me, Hermione, what it is that I have ever done to you?"

_More things than you know of, Riddle. And I wouldn't breathe a word about it to anyone._ she thought snidely, "Nothing, I suppose, but be a complete annoyance to Draco and I. Why is it _Tom_, that you seem to not be able to leave us alone? What is it that you must stop us from showing any affection towards each other. You seem like a you have a pretty big grudge against public displays of affection."

"Well, I'm Head Boy, obviously. It's my job to keep the students in line and make sure the rules are upheld with as much authority as possible."

Hermione rolled her eyes dramatically, "And I'm the bloody Head Girl! But I don't go and make everyone's or just _one_ person's life a living hell about it!"

Tom snorted, very unattractively, "You? Head Girl? You have only been here a few mere hours Miss Howe, do you even know what a Head Girl is?"

"Dippett informed me, and I usually make absolutely sure that people follow the rules of the school. Otherwise there would be mischeif and mayhem erupting all around us." she retorted.

"Aside from yourself, you mean?" he smirked.

_Why was he pressing this subject?_ she thought to herself irately.

"Why would he make you Head Girl within the first few moments of you being here? Didn't he already know that there _was_ a Head Girl in position?" he asked, after a few minutes of her not answering his question.

"Hasn't it ever occured to you that a Head Girl could step down, or leave her position, or Hogwarts all together?"

Tom's eyes widened, but only briefly as he masked his expression once more. It obviously appeared he hadn't _ever_ thought of that, leaving Hogwarts, a possibility unless you were expelled.

_Oh, right! _She thought to herself in realization, _He loves this school, he has no other place to go home to. He doesn't have a family, or a home, and for goodness sake! All his friends were in Slytherin, that's bad enough. Wait, _I am _a Slytherin. _She repressed a laugh.

"Apparently not." she muttered.

After that, Riddle decided it was about time to leave her alone she guessed, or maybe he was just thinking of completely other things entirely. Whatever it was, they only had to talk to each other when asked to brew the potion assigned to them. Though it was just mainly, 'Hand me the Boomslang.' from Tom. Or 'Could you _please_ hand me the Swedish Short-Snout dragon scales?' from a confulsing Hermione, who didn't want to be polite to the git.

At the end of the class Riddle bottled the potion into a vial and took it up to the front desk for evaluation. Hermione packed up her books and a boy with very short, spiky, platinum blonde hair rest his elbow on her remaining papers.

"Hello, I'm Rodolfulous Malfoy." he shot her a crooked smile, but Hermione already had _her_ Malfoy in the room.

"Er, hi." she replied while indicating with her hands that she would like for him to stand up so she could retrieve her schoolwork.

He ignored her actions, "So you're Hermione Howe right? New student, home schooled with Newton before coming here? You're Head Girl?"

"Yeah." she tried to smile.

He chuckled, "Why the grimace?"

"I was actually attempting a smile." she laughed.

Riddle came back and picked up his bag, "Come on Rod." he ordered the boy.

Malfoy looked over his shoulder and stood up, Hermione finally took the opportunity to pick up her homework and quill. He turned back around and winked at her, "Bye." he bid farewell and followed Tom's retreating back out of the Potions classroom.

Draco came up behind her, "Had a chat with my grandfather have you?" he inquired.

She furrowed her eyebrows, "I think he was trying to flirt, unsuccessfully, I might add."

Draco laughed, "He always preferred the pretty, young, girls. Even when he was old."

"Player!" she accused jokingly.

They both laughed and he slung his arm around her shoulder as they walked out of the classroom. He sighed, and she smiled.

"What did Riddle have to say?" he asked her.

She smiled, though this wasn't funny, "Jealous of a Dark Lord are we?"

He laughed, "No, just worried about you."

"I'm a big girl I can handle it." she laughed.

He chuckled lightly and they walked to Transfiguration together.


End file.
